Marietta resident Emily Teddy shares fun cooking crafts to keep the children busy. She said her mother encouraged her to be creative as a child.

“Some of my best childhood memories were doing fun projects together and making things,” she said. “We always helped (my mother) in the kitchen or made gifts for family members. (Being creative) is important to me in my role as a mom and as a teacher. I always want to encourage kids to do the same thing because I really think it’s fun.”

She and her husband, John, have two children. Durham and Caroline. The former special-needs preschool teacher is now a stay-at-home mother.

Teddy has held camps for girls in the neighborhood. Activities included cooking and doing crafts, such as water balloon flip flops, “summer fun cupcakes” and watermelon ice cream dessert.

“The flip flops and the watermelon ice cream cake are things I did with my mom as a child,” Teddy said. “These are simple, inexpensive, easy crafts that your kids can help with. It’s very easy.”

Craft, recipes to try at home
Water Balloon Flip Flops

What you’ll need:

* 1 to 2 bags of small water balloons

* 1 pair of flip-flops

Simply tie the balloons around the straps of the flip-flops until covered and colorful. A variation is to pre-cut fabric scraps for the kids to use instead (easier for smaller fingers than the balloons).

Summer Fun Cupcakes

What you’ll need:

* Cupcakes with icing, homemade or store bought

* Graham crackers for the kids, crushed (or buy graham cracker crumbs)

* Gummy fish, dolphins, etc.

* Drink umbrellas

Have the children sprinkle the cupcake with the crushed Graham crackers to look like sand. Then let them add other decorations to create their own beach scene.

Watermelon Ice Cream Dessert

What you’ll need:

* 1 pint lime sherbet, slightly softened

* 1 container Cool Whip, slightly softened

* 1½ pints raspberry sherbet, slightly softened

* 1 bag mini chocolate chips

Line a round stainless bowl with plastic wrap. First, press a layer of lime sherbet in the bowl coming up the edges. Freeze until hardened. Repeat with the Cool Whip. Freeze until hardened. Stir mini chocolate chips into the raspberry sherbet. Fill the lime and Cool Whip mold with the raspberry mixture. Freeze until hardened. Slice and serve. This is a great dessert to make in advance.